The Super Six Workouts

Over the years I dreamed of evolving into the coach with hundreds (if not thousands) of workouts at my disposal. I longed to be the Joe Paterno of running, complete with my version of the 8-inch-thick playbook and a specific, detailed X & O workout for every aspect of improving endurance-based performance. The plain truth is less sensational and far more . . . well, plain. Be it early season base phase training, mid-season tempo work, or late-year peaking, I continually find myself returning to many of the same workouts. And while these sessions are implemented differently depending on time of year, cycle of training, and individual needs, these workouts have proven extremely successful here at our training center in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I jokingly call them “the only six workouts you will ever need.”

As with most coaches/advisors, the workouts I implement have been given to me over the years by a variety of the athletes, coaches and advisors with whom I have had contact. I will by all means give both credit and thanks for each of these sessions to the individuals who passed them to me.

WORKOUT #1: The Max Steady (Maximum sustained steady state run or progression run)

Coach/Advisor from whom I “stole” this workout: Among others the late 2:13 marathoner and B.A.A. Coach Ed Sheehan.

How to Implement a Max Steady: Also called a progression run, a kick-down and a “cook,” these runs should begin roughly 1:30 to 1:45 slower than your current 10K race pace. For example, if you currently can run a 10K road race at roughly 7-minute pace per mile, begin the Max Steady (after an easy 10- to 20-minute warm-up) at roughly 8:30 to 8:45 pace. Over the course of the next 20 to 50 minutes slowly up your tempo every 5 to 7 minutes, concluding the session at roughly 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than 10K race pace (or approximately your anaerobic threshold). As with most workouts you will find that this one needs tweaking as your overall conditioning fluctuates and improves. Additionally, this is a workout in which an athlete typically can add 5 to 10 minutes in duration every three to four weeks as overall aerobic conditioning comes around.

When to Implement: Year Round!

Effects: This session is an excellent way to improve aerobic fitness as well as the less-than-obvious effects of improving anaerobic threshold.

How to do a long run with "movements": Most athletes run their longest run of the week with little to no variance of pace. Squires recommends athletes, particularly runners prepping for a marathon, change gears 8 to 10 times within a typical 16- to 22-mile marathon preparation run. Try throwing in a 1-minute surge, every 8th, 9th or 10th minute over the final two thirds of your longest run. The surge should be assertive but by no means all out. Upon completion of the 1-minutes surge immediately return to your normal relaxed-to-moderate long run pace.

When to Implement: Marathon preparation and early to mid-season base conditioning.

Effects: These runs go a long way toward thwarting bad patches during longer races, which all of us tend to experience — as well as teaching us to change gears, a skill few but the very best possess.

WORKOUT 3: The Hill Cycle

Coach/Advisor from whom I “stole” this workout: Swedish coach Gosta Holmer, often considered the inventor of fartlek.

How to Implement a Hill Cycle: Begin by finding a loop (roughly 1,200 to 1,400 meters in length) which contains a significant hill (200 to 300 meters). After warming up, run the loop at a moderate (85 percent) clip for 15 minutes to an hour (the latter only for those putting in higher weekly volume). Each time you arrive at the hill portion of the loop, surge the hill focusing on toe off, driving your arms, and carrying the effort up and over the top of the hill, then back off to moderate tempo again until reaching your next loop hill surge.

When to Implement: Year Round!

Effects: This session, which we will use as often as once every three weeks, has shown to improve lack of biomechanical efficiency, power, frequency of foot strike and a range of other common maladies. This is a must-try.

How to Implement a 2 x 7: Find a perfectly flat surface or long, slight downhill grade (the track will also suffice). After warming up well, run 7 minutes at or a hair faster than goal 5K race pace. Upon conclusion of the first 7-minute piece, take a 5-minute easy jog rest and run back toward the start at the same effort. See if you can go a tad farther on repeat number two. If you are really anal like me you can jump in a car and have your coach drive you back to the same start (quickly!) during the 5-minute rest.

When to Implement: Immediately prior to peak race season. Pete gave me this one in 1991 in the month prior to my senior collegiate track season, and it gave both him and me a fairly good idea of where my speed-based endurance was. I now use the session with virtually every 5,000m runner I coach.

Effects: Improvement of speed-based endurance, and the ability to hold 5K pace for an extended time. After this workout I can generally predict 5K performance within a handful of seconds. As a rule of thumb, a runner who is tapered and focused should be able to run within 5 seconds a mile of the pace maintained in this workout.

How to Implement a Half Time Fartlek: After warming up run pick-ups of 6:00 – 5:00 – 4:00 – 3:00 – 2:00 – 1:00. The recovery between the pick-ups is half the time of the surge. For example, after the 6-minute pick-up float an easy jog for 3 minutes, after the 5-minute pick-up take 2:30, after the 4-minute surge jog lightly for 2 minutes and so on. The goal of the session is to begin the workout with the longer pieces at roughly half marathon to marathon pace and finish the 2- and the 1-minute pieces at roughly 5K pace. This is especially tough when one considers the ever-decreasing rest between pick-ups. The difficulty can be moderated by starting with shorter segments. For example, a runner might try a 4:00 – 3:00 – 2:00 – 1:00 fartlek session.

When to Implement: As a transition from aerobic base building to early racing or speed work. I have found this segment teaches athletes to finish well, even when fatigued.

Effects: As with many of the workouts we use here at ZAP Fitness, this is a combination workout. Both aerobic and anaerobic elements are stressed within this 31-minute effort.

How to Implement a Mono Farlek: This one is undoubtedly my favorite workout and one I am certain you will all find enjoyable and challenging. After warming up well (as you would for a race) head to your local track, strap your lightweight shoes on and do the following 20-minute continuous run: 6 minutes of 2 x (90 seconds “on” / 90 seconds “off”), followed by 8 minutes of 4 x (60 seconds “on” / 60 seconds “off”), followed by 4 minutes of 4 x (30 seconds “on” / 30 seconds “off”), finishing with 2 minutes of 4 x (15 seconds “on” / 15 seconds “off”).

The goal is to run the “ons” only a hair slower than current 5K fitness and your “offs” roughly 1-minute per mile slower. For example, if you are currently in roughly 21:45 5K shape, run your “ons” just slightly slower than 7-minute pace and your “offs” in the 8-minute pace range. While this may seem like a fairly innocuous session, the ever-changing tempo throughout the piece can and will exact a heavy toll if an athlete begins the session too quickly.

When to Implement: This is a tough session and, due to its race-like nature, one to use both sparingly and cautiously. Here at ZAP Fitness we will use this session two to three times per year, usually as a strength-based fitness tester.

Effects: This is yet another threshold buster, augmenting a runner’s ability to maintain tempo, while changing gears.

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